20 Tips For A Safe Halloween

October 31, 2016

Halloween is one of the most entertaining holidays of the year. It’s also a holiday with a host of potential hazards. But they don’t have to ruin your fun. Just follow these tips below to make sure your family has a safe and enjoyable Halloween.

Costumes • Choose a costume that’s flame resistant. • Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls. • Make sure accessories such as swords and knives are short, soft, and flexible. • Use non-toxic makeup. • Use reflective tape or material to help make your kids visible to drivers.

Trick-or-treating • Always accompany young children. For an older kid going out without supervision, make sure he or she goes with a group. • Hold a flashlight, glow stick, or any other bright object to help you see and help others see you. • Always walk—and don’t run—from house to house. • Use established crosswalks as much as possible and always look both ways before crossing the street. • Use sidewalks whenever possible, and if not, walk on the far edge of the road facing traffic. • Only visit well-lit houses and enter homes only with a trusted adult.

Treats • Remind your children not to snack on their trick-or-treat goodies while they’re still out. Have them wait until they get home, so you’ve had a chance to inspect their goodies. • Examine all treats for choking hazards including gum, peanuts, hard candies, or toys with small parts. • Inspect commercially-wrapped treats for signs of tampering, including any unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes, or tears in wrappers. Throw away anything that looks suspicious. • Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers or anything that isn’t commercially wrapped.

If you’re giving out treats from home… • Keep lit jack-o-lanterns a good distance from trick-or-treaters so costumes don’t catch fire. Never leave a lighted pumpkin unattended. If possible, use flameless candles. • Be sure your walkway is well-lit and clear of any obstacles to prevent accidents.

If you’re on the road…. • Drive slowly, particularly in residential areas. • Be extra alert for children at intersections, corners, driveways and near parked cars where they frequently dart out from. • Eliminate in-car distractions.

Do you have other tips to keep you and your keiki safe for Halloween? Share them with us!